Jack and Phyllis
by reilert79
Summary: A compilation of recent events and where I hope they are headed.


***Author's Note: Phyllis and Jack are my favorites! So, this story is kind of a compilation of both what has happened with them since he found out about Billy and what I hope happens with them in the future. I just hope it doesn't take as long as I made it here. Let me know what you think! ***

***Phyllis' office***

Phyllis is sitting at her desk. She doesn't love her new closet of an office, but she is making it work. Her main goal is to prove to Jack that she will do whatever he asks of her, without complaint. She wants him to see that getting him back in her life and them getting back together is exactly what needs to happen.

She inputs all the data from all of the files Jack gave her into the computer. She copies the file onto a thumbdrive, and takes it to his "office.

***Jack's office***

"Knock knock. Here is the thumb drive with the data from those files you wanted. Will there be anything else?"

"Thank you, Phyllis. No, that will be all. You may go, and enjoy your evening".

"Is there anything else you would like for me to start on? I am happy to stay".

"Not that I can think of right now. But thanks for offering". She couldn't help but notice that his tone was especially curt.

"You know Jack, you can be mad at me all you want, because yes, I did wreck our marriage. I admit that. However, I am a damn good employee, I have done every stupid mind numbing job you have put in front of me, with a smile plastered on my face no less, and you haven't even noticed, much less given me credit. I am trying to show you that I will do anything to get us back, to get our life back, and you refuse to move even an inch towards me. What do I have to do to make you understand that I am sorry, and I want us back?"

"I don't know that there is anything you can do, Phyllis. It was your choice to sleep with my brother, remember that".

"You can't be mad at me forever, Jack. That armor, is going to get really heavy if you keep carrying it around".

"That armor that you speak of, is what is protecting my heart from people like you".

"Ok fine. Maybe you and I are done. I can accept that. Can we at least try to get to a place where we don't hate each other?"

"Maybe, in time. Right now it is just too fresh".

"And punishing me with a broom closet and busy work makes you feel better?"

"Sort of. How would it look if you were still VP, even though the press knows all about our marriage issues?"

"I don't care about how it looks, Jack. I care about you. I care about us. And even though I made a mistake, I always did care about you. I always will care about you. And deep down, whether or not you want to admit it, you still love me and care about me too".

She turned, and walked out of his office. She didn't even notice there were tears running down her face.

***Phyliss' new place***

Phyllis pulled up and parked. She was meeting her real estate agent to look at a condo. They walked around for a few minutes and then she turned to the realtor.

"this place isn't really my style. It's too small. Got anything else?"

"Here is a list of all of my available properties. I will cue up the map, and you can see where they are located."

She studied the list. One address in particular jumped out at her.

"What about this one?"

"That's a vacant lot. Ready to build. We even have a contractor who will gladly start next week, once you pick out the floorplan that you want and pay the deposit."

She continued to look over the list.

"I will rent this condo from you on the list, and can you give me the number of the contractor? I think I would like to build".

They shook on it and Phyllis signed on the dotted line.

***Next day, Jabot***

Phyliss came in and saw that Jack had left a note on her desk asking to speak to her. She went to his office right away.

She walked in.

"You wanted to see me?"

"Yes. It's about the divorce- my lawyer is about to draw up settlement papers. I was wondering if there was anything specific that you wanted or needed from me in the settlement, and if so, let's talk about it now and get it over with. Name your price".

"I don't want your money, Jack. I want you. I've told you that".

"And I have told you that I want to move forward with this divorce".

"Jack, you can't mean that."

"Name your price, Phyllis". His tone was very firm.

"There is one thing I want you to do, and it's not monetary. But if you do it, I will promise not to take the company from you".

"What is it?"

"Go to counseling with me. A certified marriage counselor. We go together, as long as they tell us to, and we go until they tell us that it's not working anymore or that we no longer need it. And no matter what the outcome, we both promise to accept it, whatever it is".

"Do you really think that will help, Phyllis? You really think hearing someone else tell you that our marriage is over because of your actions will make it better?"

"I do think it will make it better, Not for me, for you. I think you will realize that I never meant to hurt you and I hope that we can find our way back to each other again. All I'm asking is that you give it a shot- you really, truly, give it a shot".

He looked out the window and didn't say anything.

"Can you promise you will at least think about it?"

"yes. But don't get your hopes up".

She turned around and left.

She worked the rest of the day in her office, and clocked out at 5, right on time.

On her lunch break, she had managed to make them an appointment at 6 with Dr. Caroline West.

She sent Jack a text. "We have an appointment at 6 with the marriage counselor. 885 Monroe Avenue, Suite 204. Hope you can make it".

She gathered her things, turned off her computer, and headed out.

***Dr. West's office***  
Phyllis ran to Summer's and changed clothes. She headed to the appointment, and arrived at 5:40. She began filling out the paperwork.

The doctor called her back right at 6. No Jack.

She went in, and sat down, and the doctor began to look over the paperwork. She anxiously stared at her phone. He hadn't texted, or anything. She tried to not let her heart sink, but it was no use. She had really wanted him to show up so they could at least talk.

Just then, the door opened. Jack walked in.

"Sorry I am late. Nice to meet you doctor". He sat down and didn't even acknowledge Phyllis.

She smiled at him, and reached over and touched his hand. He looked at her, but didn't say anything.

Dr. West began. "Ok, so from your paperwork, I see that you, Mrs. Abbott, had an affair, and that led to you Mr. Abbott filing for divorce, right?

"Yes, that is correct".

"So where do things stand between the two of you now?"

"I want our life back. I want him back. I want to save this marriage".

Jack spoke up then. "I think a divorce is the best option. I can't give her what she found in my brother".

"I don't want your brother, Jack, I want you".

Dr. West continued.

"Have you two talked about this at all?"

"Not really. He hasn't been agreeable to that, and that's ok. I will wait as long as it takes and I will never stop fighting for him or our marriage".

"I don't see what can be accomplished by talking. She made her choice when she slept with my brother".

Dr. West grabbed a timer off her desk

"I am going to set the timer for 5 minutes. I want both of you to close your eyes, and think back, to your most favorite memory of your marriage or relationship. Your most favorite memory- and if you would like paper to write it down on, I can give you some".

She set the timer, and they both closed their eyes. Before they knew it, the timer was going off.

They opened their eyes and looked at the doctor.

"Phyllis, what is your favorite memory?"

"Well, it wasn't a fun moment, but it was extremely meaningful. I had just learned that while I had been in a rehab hospital for a year, he had a relationship with someone else. The other woman battled me for weeks, and did everything she could to split us up. It came to a head when we had a conversation at the house, and got it all out in the open. The meaningful part is that I let down all of my guards and walls, and showed how hurt I truly was. And you know what? He didn't judge me. He didn't criticize me. He walked over, wrapped his arms around me, and just held me, because he knew that was exactly what I needed from him. It didn't fix it right away, but it helped. It was the baby step that we needed to take, and because we took it, we were finally able to have the conversation that was the elephant in the room, that we had been avoiding. And now, I want us to have that conversation about this situation, but he won't let us even take that step".

"Some things can't be forgiven, Phyllis. You slept with my brother".

"You had a relationship with Kelly while I was in Georgia, unconscious! Please tell me how that is any different".

Dr. West intervened.

"Ok, Jack, what was your favorite memory?"

"When Summer was born. I was so hopeful that she was mine, and you still let me be there and enjoy those first few days".

"I enjoyed them with you, Jack".

Dr. West handed them each a legal pad. "I want each of you to write down 5 things that you love about each other, and 5 things that you wish you could change".

Phyllis started writing. She loved Jack, all of him. That was number one. Number two was his business sense- he was such a good business man and in turn that allowed him to be a good provider.

Number 3 was how loyal he was. No matter what, he always came back to her, through all the crazy. Number 4 was the fact that even though Summer turned out to be Nick's, he still accepted her and didn't push her away. He truly loved Summer.

The final thing was how safe he made her feel when they were together.

In the hate column, she wrote that she hated how he shuts down, and how he won't let her in when he's upset.

Jack was writing as well.

He wrote that he loved her sense of humor, her red hair, the fact that she had stuck by him when others wouldn't, how she helped him through his addiction, and her work ethic. In the hate column, he wrote that he hated her lies, her path of destruction, her web of deceit, and the fact that she had made him look like a fool.

They read their lists to the doctor, and Phyllis cried when Jack read his.

"Please tell me what to do, Jack. I am here, I will do it".

"Nothing, Phyllis. I told you, time and time again. Nothing can be done to make me forgive you". He got up and stormed out.

Phyllis sat there sobbing on the couch in the office for the rest of the appointment.

***Next day, Jabot***

Phyllis came in and avoided Jack at all costs. Thankfully she had enough work to do that she didn't have to see him much. She kept the door to her closet office locked so that she wouldn't be interrupted, and before she knew it, it was 3 p.m. and she had worked through lunch. She had the paperwork from the marriage counselor that she and Jack had seen the night before. Dr. West had recommended that they come in once a week for 90 days. Phyllis had signed that she agreed to that, and Dr. West had emailed Jack the same paperwork for him to agree and sign.

Phyllis checked her email, and saw a message from Dr. West. It was to her and Jack.

"Thanks for signing the paperwork and agreeing to the 90 days. I think if you both commit to the 90 days you will both be able to see things more clearly. Between now and then, I urge you two to be as civil and as positive with each other as possible. I will see you both next Tuesday at 5:30".

Phyllis turned off her computer, and headed home.

***Next appointment***

Phyllis and Jack were extremely civil and only talked about work matters to each other between their first and second appointment. Phyllis showed up at 5:15, and signed in.

Jack got there at 5:25, and sat down across from her in the waiting room. Dr. West pulled them back right on time, at 5:30.

Phyllis and Jack went and sat on the couch. Not together, but not extremely separate either.

Dr. West greeted them, and then began their session.

"Today, I want us to use meditation, to discover where both of you think your lives will be in the future. And we will also do past meditation as well. So, I am going to draw the curtains, and dim the lights, and I want you to close your eyes and follow my instructions. "

After the room was set up the way she needed it, she regained her seat and they began. She had them focus on their breathing and make themselves extremely calm.

She decided to start with the past.

"let your mind go completely blank. Think back to a time when you two were at the happiest point in your marriage. You were in love, you couldn't wait to be together, you barely spent anytime apart. If something bad happened, you would automatically turn to each other for comfort and support. Remember how that felt, to be that in love. Remember how that felt to want to be with each other so much, and to need each other so much. Focus on how your body felt at that time, and think about what words you would put with that emotion".

She let them focus on that a few more minutes, and then she brought them out of it.

She handed each of them a notebook, with some typed questions for them to answer. After they were done writing about how they felt in that memory of the past, she told them they were going to focus on the future.

She dimmed the lights again, and then they began the process once more, but this time she had them think about their future selves.

"I want you to envision yourself in 5 years. Look around, at your home, at your job, and at the members of your family. Do you see each other there? Do you seem happy? Do you see yourself feeling as happy as you did in the past memory? Now look ahead to 10 years, or even 15 years? Is the other one there? If they aren't, do you miss them? Think about that, and I will bring you out in a few minutes".

After she brought them out, Phyllis was crying. Jack looked stone faced, and serious.

"Phyllis, what was your past memory?"

"The months before I was hospitalized. Everything was going great between us, and I couldn't wait to marry him".

"Jack what was your past memory?"

"The night I asked her to marry me, before she was hospitalized. I was nervous, but she said yes".

"Ok. Now let's look to the future. Phyllis, what did you see in 5 years?"

"Him. He and I were living in the Abbott mansion and we were having one of our special days, at home and just being us. Just the two of us, like we have always been".

"And you, Jack?"

"She was there, but we weren't together. I was there at the invitation of her daughter, Summer. It was pleasant, we weren't fighting, but she wasn't there with me, she was there with my brother, Billy".

Phyllis turned to Jack. "That will never happen Jack, I don't want Billy. I have told you that. I want you".

Jack refused to answer.

Dr. west turned to Jack. "In the future, did you feel like you had forgiven Phyllis?"

Jack nodded. "I suppose so".

"Good. That gives us a goal. So picture it like the Grand Canyon. We are on this side, trying to get across to the other side. We have to build a bridge as we go, and we have to do it together."

She got up and turned the lights up, and hit the button to open the curtains a little.

"this session was very fundamental. Thank you both for working to get us to this point so that we can start to move forward next week. Your homework between now and next Tuesday: I want you to both take an hour, and share a meal. It doesn't matter where you eat, it doesn't matter what you eat. It only matters that you eat, together. It doesn't have to be extravagant or anything, but the two of you need to decide who is going to choose the meal and put some thought in to it. I look forward to hearing about how it goes".

They both got up and shook her hand and left. She followed them to the door.

"One more thing- no talking about the divorce during the meal. You can talk about our sessions so far, or the state of your marriage and how you feel, but you cannot talk about terms of the divorce."

They nodded in agreement.

They got out to the parking lot, and Phyllis grabbed Jack's arm.

"When do you want to do this?"

"How about Monday night? We can work out the details later."

She nodded. "Thank you for coming each time, Jack. I really appreciate you and the effort you are making". He gave her a half smile, and headed to his car.

***Summer's apartment***

Phyllis came in and saw that Summer was still out. She headed to her room with a glass of wine, and grabbed her laptop. She pulled up her bank account, and started looking at her finances. She had the account that she and Jack used, and as soon as he had filed for divorced, she pulled a large sum of cash out and put it into her own separate account, so that he couldn't just cut her off. She also had an account that her parents had left her, that she had never touched. She didn't even know what bank it was with. She quickly called her sister Avery.

"Hi sis! How are you?...Glad to hear it. Thinking of coming here anytime soon?...Darn. Well, I gotta question for you. You know that account that mom and pop left us when pop died? What bank is it with? Wachovia….. got it. Yeah, I am hanging in. Trying my hardest to make sense of this, and sure do wish I had my sister around to help me…..yeah I know, you just had to get away. I just miss you, that's all….Ok, well it was great talking to you, hope we can visit in person soon. Love you!". click.

She took a sip of wine, and then pulled up the account. She filled out the form online and had the funds transferred to her personal account. It was time to build her a house.

She called the contractor to set up a meeting to select the plans. If this worked out the way she envisioned, she was going to be just fine.

***Sunday***

Phyllis woke up. She laid in bed thinking about how her week had been. She and Jack had been civil and cordial to each other in the office. She hadn't heard from him about the dinner though. She debated on whether or not she should text him to ask him about it.

She finally decided to text him and tell him that she would cook for him, whatever he liked.

A few minutes later, he responded back with "Mrs. Martinez will cook. Just be at my house at 7".

She put everything else out of her mind and focused on what to wear to dinner, and being polite and pleasant.

She and Summer spent the day together and they went shopping for her new condo. She had a move in date of 3 weeks.

***Monday***

Phyllis was busy all day- Jack had dumped a bunch of files on her desk. She reconciled all of them, and put them in the system, and finished just before 5.

She took him the flash drive, handed it to him, and simply said "See you at 7".

She smiled at him, and then walked out the door.

***Abbott mansion***  
Phyllis showed up right at 6:55, and parked in the circle drive. It was strange to have to ring the doorbell, but she did it. One of the servants let her in, and showed her to the living room.

She was surprised to see that Jack was there, working in the office across the hall from the living room. Mrs. Martinez offered her a drink, and she took a glass of wine. She held up her glass to Jack, and he held up his, from the office.

Baby steps, Phyllis. Baby. Steps, she told herself.

Mrs. Martinez came and told them dinner was ready and showed Phyllis to the dining room.

Jack came in, still on the phone. He barely looked up, and talked business the entire time. Phyllis was hurt, but she tried to make the best of it.

As she listened to him yammer on about deals in Asia and how to get the Australian Market on board, she realized she had two options. She could be sarcastic like the old Phyllis, and make a comment such as "Thanks so much for having me over, I am really enjoying this dinner conversation. Stimulating". Or, she could be nice, play it safe, don't start a fight Phyllis. She thought about it. Sarcastic was her safety net, but where had it gotten her? Was her sarcastic attitude an indirect cause of the demise of her marriage? She decided to play it safe, and tell him how she felt in counseling.

'Surely he will be off the phone soon, and we can salvage this'.

It quickly became apparent that she was wrong. He had no intentions of doing anything other than business through dinner.

She finished her plate, and took it into the kitchen, and thanked Mrs. Martinez.

Then she left through the hallway, bypassing the dining room all together, and gathered her things.

"Thanks for dinner, Jack. It was a real pleasure". She saw herself out. He never even noticed she was gone.

***Tuesday***

Phyllis avoided Jack all day, just like she had the week before. Her feelings were so hurt by his rudeness at dinner the night before, and she just didn't want to face him till their appointment.

Around 2:30, her email notification came through. She checked it and saw a memo from him to the entire staff.

"Thanks to everyone who worked on the Stafford account. We landed the account, and are glad to be doing business with them. It wouldn't have been possible without all of your hard work!". The memo went on to name each person who was part of it and their contributions.

Phyllis had been working on that account for weeks, organizing the data and following up with the client to make sure they had what they needed. She read the memo 4 times, and her name was nowhere on it.

She felt the tears come in an instant. She had to get out there, to get away, and to think before she reacted. She gathered up her things, and headed out the door.

As she rounded the hallway, she and Jack passed each other. He could tell she was crying, but didn't stop her. He turned around two seconds two late, and she was gone. He chose not to go after her.

***Dr. West's office***

Phyllis had stopped crying, but she was still hurt. She had one goal for this appointment- get through it and get home.

She showed up at 5:40, and told the lady she wanted to pay for the appointment as well as for the next one. She sat down and began to read a magazine. Jack came in right at 5:55, and sat across from her.

They were called back in, and he noticed that she wasn't smiling at him like she normally did, or even looked at him.

Dr. West began. "How did the dinner go?"

Jack said "Great", at the same time that Phyllis let out a "Hmmph".

Dr. west asked Jack to go first. "Tell me about the dinner".

"Mrs. Martinez, my housekeeper, cooked a lovely meal. I selected a menu that I knew we would both like and she did a great job with it. Phyllis was on time, and was cordial. Other than that, I have nothing to report".

Dr. West looked at Phyllis. "How did the dinner go?"

"I get there, and I am shown inside, and given a glass of wine. I requested they pour him a glass of the sparkling water he likes, and they did. They took it to him. He was in the office, I was in the living room. I held up my glass to him, and he held up his to me, while he was on the phone.

Mrs. Martinez called us to the table, and we sat down. He comes to the table with the phone, because he is on a business call. I kept telling myself that his business call would end in just a few minutes. But, it never did. I finished my plate, and saw myself out, and I don't even think he noticed I was gone. I spent all weekend looking forward to this dinner, I even offered to cook it for him. I couldn't wait for us to have a normal conversation, and he is on the phone the entire time."

Dr. West made some notes, and then looked up.

"Have you two had any other negative interactions this week?"

Jack should his head no, but Phyllis said "indirectly."

Jack turned to Phyllis. "What are you talking about?"

"You did it on purpose! You gave me the bulk of the work on the Stafford account, and then you purposely didn't give me credit for it". She could feel herself getting upset, and took a drink of her water.

"I sent out a memo this afternoon, Phyllis, thanking everyone".

"Everyone but me."

He pulled out his smartphone and pulled it up. After a few minutes, he saw that she was right. He had left her off the memo.

"I apologize Phyllis, it was an oversight. I will send out a corrected memo tomorrow".

"Oversight my ass. How long are you going to punish me? What's next? First, the dinner, then the memo. What's left- are you going to slowly take my office from me piece by piece? Are you going to repossess everything you bought for me during our marriage? What's left, Jack? How long do you intend to punish me?"

"I…I don't know. But I swear to you that this memo thing was an oversight and nothing more".

Dr. West interjected.

"Clearly, you two still have built up resentment towards each other, or towards how you are being treated. Let's explore that".

She turned to Jack first. "If you could label your resentment, what labels would you use?"

"Cheating with my brother Billy. Lying, making me look like an idiot. Breaking my heart into a million pieces. Making me relive it."

"How am I making you relive it?"

"Every time I see you, I see you and Billy together. Every time I roll over in the middle of the night, I see you and Billy together. I can't look at you without seeing him".

Dr. West spoke up. "Have you forgiven Billy?"

"Nope. But I shut him out of my life, and we have virtually no contact anymore."

She turned to Phyllis.

"If you could label your resentment, what labels would you use?"

"It's just…I used to matter to him. Even when we were separated or broken up. When I was with Nick, when I wasn't even speaking to him, hell when I was unconscious in a clinic 500 miles away, I mattered to him. But now, I am an afterthought. He doesn't value my work, and he isn't using my talents, especially for the good of the company. He can't even be bothered to share a meal with me without being on the phone and ignoring me. He literally could care less about me, and I cannot believe we got here over night."

" I do care about you Phyllis, but you and I aren't together anymore".

"you sure have a funny way of showing it".

Dr. West took a moment, and then spoke.

"I think I am going to have you two do something that is a little unconventional but usually effective. Phyllis, I want you to quit your job. Tomorrow. Only go in to clean out your desk. And I want you to find somewhere to go, out of town, for a period of 30 days. During those 30 days, you two will have no contact. At the end of the 30 days, we will have our next appointment here, and we will discuss things. While you are away, I want you both to reflect on how you think you are at fault for what has happened to your marriage. Marriage is not 50/50, it is 100/100. So I want you guys to figure out how you contributed to the demise of your marriage. Phyllis, when you return from your trip, we will work on you getting another job. Jack, if you would like to go out of town during this time, that's permissible. If you two follow each other on social media, stop. I am serious about 30 days no contact."

They both nodded.

"Ok. Phyllis, enjoy your trip. See you both in 30 days".

They got up, and shook hands with her, and then left the office.

Phyllis headed straight for the car.

She was almost there, when Jack caught up to her and called out to her.

"Phyllis!". She turned around.

"I am really sorry about my oversight with the memo. I sincerely apologize for that, and I promise that it will be rectified."

"Don't worry about it."

"I am also sorry about dinner last night, that was very rude of me."

"Thank you".

"Be safe, Phyllis. Tell Summer if she needs anything while you are gone, to let me know. "

She nodded and headed to the car.

***Summer's apartment***

Phyllis came in and put her things down. She grabbed a glass of wine and headed to her room, and climbed onto the bed. She tossed back her glass of wine, and then fell asleep, and slept all night.

***Abbott mansion***

Jack came in, and sat on the couch. He was upset with himself over how he had treated Phyllis, inadvertently as well as on purpose. He decided that he was ready to forgive her, but he wasn't ready to take her back. At least if he forgave her, he would feel better and wouldn't feel so angry all the time. That was a start.

***Summer's, the next day***.

Phyllis was meeting the contractor in an hour, and finalizing her home plan. She was building a 7 bedroom house, complete with garage, circle driveway, pool, and security gate. It would be state of the art everything inside. She was going to give the contractor a check and tell him to start building asap. After that, she was going to go visit Avery. They were overdue for a sister visit, and then she was heading south, to visit Daniel and his daughter, her granddaughter Lucy, and his fiancée Heather. She was determined to make the best of the 30 days.

She and Summer said their goodbyes, and she asked Summer to go pack up her office for her. Summer agreed.

She packed her car, and headed out.

***30 days later***

Phyllis arrived back in town 2 days before their 30 day appointment. She decided to stay in the house as much as possible to avoid seeing Jack. A lot had happened in the 30 days she had been gone. She and Avery had a nice, yet awkward visit. She and Daniel and Heather, and Lucy had a nice visit, but shorter than she wanted when Daniel grew tired of arguing with her. For the last week, she had been at a spa in Arizona.

She moved into her condo when she came home, and Summer had been wonderful and had her furniture delivered so it was all set up for her. She had driven by the new lot, and saw the progress. She didn't stop though, she just admired from the car. It was coming along very nicely.

She settled in for bed in her new condo, and wondered if Jack was as nervous about their 30 day appointment as she was.

***Jack's house***

Jack and Summer were having their weekly dinner. It was a tradition they started when Phyllis left a month ago, and they both enjoyed it. All month, he had avoided asking about Phyllis and rarely mentioned her at all. He just tried to enjoy being with Summer.

As they were leaving the restaurant, he walked her to her car. "Honey, I just wanted to tell you something. I know that you know that normally I would ask you how your mom is, but I haven't been doing that because I didn't want to put you in a tough spot. And I didn't want to put myself in one either. Our counselor told us to have no contact for the 30 days, and I felt like if I asked you, you would feel like you had to tell me and I didn't want that. I also felt like I would feel like I wouldn't be able to control myself about knowing what you told me and I didn't want that. I just want you to know that no matter what happens between me and Phyllis, you and I are always going to be ok. I am still going to be here for you, just like I always have".

She hugged him. "Thank you, Jack, for everything. And for dinner. It was great spending time with you".

They said their goodbyes and she headed to Phyllis' new condo.

She couldn't wait to see her mother.

***Next day, at the appointment***

Phyllis walked in, at 5 till. Jack was in the waiting room.

"Hello".

"HI, Phyllis".

The doctor called for them right then and they went in to her office.

After a few pleasantries they got down to the nitty gritty.

"Phyllis, do you feel differently about wanting to save your marriage?"

"No, I do not".

"Jack do you?"

"No, I do not".

Phyllis began to quietly cry, and Dr. West handed her a tissue.

"Phyllis, tell me what you are feeling."

"I feel so lost. I am trying so hard to get what we had back. I am jumping through every hoop, and I am doing it with a damn smile on my face, and yet, it is absolutely getting me nowhere".

Jack looked at her. "I never promised you that we would get back together, Phyllis".

"I didn't say you did. Sometimes I think this world would be better off without me, and then I think of Summer. She doesn't deserve that".

"No she doesn't. And just because I don't think we should reconcile, that does not mean that I think you should end your life. I would never think that".

"For 30 days, I stayed away. I didn't contact you, I didn't do anything. I even left town for an entire 30 days. And you can't do anything to bridge the gap between us? You can't even take a couple steps of your own?"

Jack stared off into the distance.

Dr. West spoke up. "On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the highest, do you love each other at all?"

"Yes. I would say I love him at about an 8 right now. I know that if we just give ourselves a chance…we could get it to a 10 again".

Jack spoke up. "I am at 2. Maybe a low 3".

"Well, I think maybe you two need to really try and figure out what it is that you want. We aren't going to get anywhere if you both put up walls and won't be honest with each other."

Dr. West stood up. "I will be right back, I am going to our storage closet to get some more materials".

She grabbed her purse and briefcase and briefcase and took them into the hall with her.

She swiftly locked the door, and pulled it tight. She got on the intercom. "Jack and Phyllis, I am going home for the evening. I will be back in the morning. You two cannot leave this room, but you have a bathroom at your disposal and some bottles of water. You two need to talk. We will discuss your progress in the morning".

She signed off.

Phyllis turned to Jack. "Well shit".

"Yep".

Jack looked highly pissed. Phyllis kicked her shoes off, dug her phone charger out of her purse and plugged it up. She went and sat on the loveseat, and took a sip of her water.

Jack got up and grabbed a legal pad off the doctors desk, and a pen. He sat down and started writing.

"What are you doing?"

"I am making a list of things I want to get off my chest".

Phyllis got up and grabbed a legal pad and started to do the same.

After Jack was done, he put the legal pad down and turned to Phyllis.

"Are you ready to discuss this?"

"Sure".

"You slept with my brother. You wanted to cheat on me, fine. But with my brother? My brother…. Is nothing sacred to you? Did our marriage vows not mean a thing to you?"

"It wasn't done to hurt you. He was just there and you weren't. That's all it was. I wanted you to see how badly I was hurting, but we weren't communicating and it just happened. If I could take it back I would, but I can't. and I have apologized for it enough".

"Why did you demand that I give you a job?"

"So that we could stay in contact. I thought If you saw me every day and you started to depend on me, you would want me around".

"Manipulation is never the way to go".

"Did I have another choice?"

"Don't you think it would have been easier for you to just accept the end of our marriage and sign on the bottom line?"

"I am not willing to give up on us, Jack. Can't you see that?"

"It would be easier for everyone, Phyllis".

"No! I love you more than that! I am not going to do it! You might give up on me, but I am not giving up on you, nor am I giving up on us".

Jack stood up and took a few steps and dropped his legal pad. He leaned over to pick it up and groaned in pain. His back had gone out.

Phyllis jumped up and tried to help.

"Ok, easy, let's go to the couch….easy, one step at a time".

He got settled on the couch, and Phyllis squeezed behind him.

"What are you doing?"

"Well, would you like for me to massage your back like I know how to do, or would you like to be in pain all night?"

"Fine, rub, rub."

"Believe it or not, Jack, I can be helpful to you".

She started to massage his back, and he gradually began to feel better. She could feel the knots and muscles loosening.

She rubbed and rubbed and rubbed on him, and realized he had grown quiet.

"What are you thinking about, Jack?"

"I am trying to breathe through the pain, is all".

"Is this helping?"

"Somewhat, yes".

She kept kneading and massaging his back for him, and then took a break. She went to the bathroom, and grabbed a hand towel and got it wet with the hottest water. She brought it back to him and had him lean back against it like a heating pad. She grabbed her phone and set it for 20 minutes.

She scooted next to him and continued to rub his neck and shoulders.

After about ten minutes, he turned to her. "Thank you, that was really helpful".

"Your welcome. You are still my husband, I am not just going to let you be in pain."

She looked at her watch. 8 p.m.

She got up and raided the doctor's mini fridge. She found them fresh fruit and cheese and crackers in her cabinet. She made them an assortment and fed him some.

"This is nice".

"What is?"

"Us, being nice to each other. You, not using that tone with me, for the first time in weeks".

"Well we are stuck in here, we might as well make the best of it".

Her timer went off, and he scooted towards her and stretched his legs out on the couch. She resumed rubbing on his lower back, and put her elbows in to it, to get that deep tissue. He was hurting, but he knew it was necessary.

She felt a pop, and suddenly, he let out a moan. His back spasm had stopped, and the pain was starting to go. She kept massaging his back and then started scratching his back. She wrapped her arms around him, and said in his ear "No matter what you decide, I will always be in love with you. You can't take that away from me, and maybe I can't fix this, but I can at least make it better for the both of us, and if all I get out of this is that you don't hate me and you can at least look at me and remember when you loved me, then it was worth it. I might cry myself to sleep every night, but it will be because I miss you, not because you hate me".

She got up and walked over to the loveseat and scrunched up as best she could. She tried to hide her tears but she couldn't. She sat there and quietly sobbed.

He got up and came over to her and sat down and held her.

"Red, pull yourself together. Come on. Now look, I don't hate you. It's not a matter of hate, it's a matter of trust. It's going to take time for me to trust you again".

"We spent 30 days apart and you didn't even budge, Jack. At this rate, I will be 112 by the time you trust me again".

"Nobody said that, Phyllis. But it is going to take time".

"I may not have that much time".

She got up and went and got a kleenex.

"What do you mean?"

"All this stress is giving me headaches and fevers and making my heart flutter. I figure it is only a matter of time until my body gives out on me again".

"Phyllis, you can't ignore those symptoms! You could have a relapse".

"Remember 3 weeks ago when you told me that you were not the least bit concerned about my health?"

"I was wrong, Phyllis. I was angry. But this is serious, You must go to the doctor first thing and have yourself checked out."

She took a sip of water.

"I appreciate the concern. I am very tired, let's just be quiet and rest, ok?"

She went over to the couch and lifted up the cushions.

"Good news, it's a pullout".

She tossed the pillows to the side, and pulled the sofa bed out. She looked in the closet and found some blankets. She selected 2 cushions to be used as pillows.

She climbed on the bed, and turned to look at him.

"The loveseat isn't big enough for either of us. So this is my side, and that is your side". She reached up and turned off one of the lamps and rolled over on her side.

Jack thought about it for a moment and then laid down on his side next to her. He played on his phone a bit, and then looked over. She had rolled over, and was now facing him. She was sound asleep.

After a few minutes, he turned off his light and curled up as well.

In the old days, he would have wrapped his arms around her, but things were different now. He couldn't do that just yet. Instead, he planted a very light kiss on her forehead and then closed his eyes.

***3 hours later***

Phyllis was running. Running, in all directions. Nobody would look at her, or would help her. She finally let out a scream.

She sat straight up and screamed. She was panting. Jack sat up and tried to tell her it was just a dream.

"Sorry.. it was Marco".

"It's ok. You are ok".

He got up and got her some water, and she settled down. They tried to go back to sleep.

He could see her rubbing her head.

He reached over and began to rub her temples for her, like he used to.

"Thanks, that feels better". After a few minutes he stopped. They fell asleep, and slept for several hours.

Around 2 a.m., Jack woke up with another back spasm. He was shaking and gripping the sides of the couch bed. She woke up from the shaking, and went and got him another hot towel, and put it on him and tried to massage it for him.

The massage and heat combo worked well this time and he was able to drift back to sleep.

When they woke up, she still had her arms around him, like old times.

She looked at him, realizing her mistake.

"Sorry".

"It's ok".

They got up and looked at their phones. 6:45 a.m.

Phyllis went over to the coffee maker and started making coffee for the two of them.

She folded up the couch bed, and put the cushions back, and put the blankets back in the closet.

She poured him a cup of coffee when it was ready, and made it just the way he liked it, and handed it to him.

"Thanks".

She took her cup and sat down on the couch.

"Can I ask you something?"

He looked at her.

"Has anything changed between you and Billy? Have you forgiven him yet?"

"No."

"Don't you think you should? I mean, he's still your brother at the end of the day. You can sever your relationship with me, but you can't just cut him off. You are his life line, Jack, you know that. If you can't forgive me, fine. But forgive him."

Jack didn't say anything, he just stared at her and drank his coffee.

She got up and went to the bathroom to try and spruce up some. She went back over to the doctor's desk, and saw that she had taken the day off on her calendar.

"Jack, bad news. Looks like we will be stuck here again another day/night. Our lovely counselor has taken the day off".

Jack grumbled and then grabbed his phone. He texted Ashley to run things in his absence, and that he would return in a couple of days.

"Where do you think we are?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, after this time that we have spent together, where do you think we are? Where are you? Do you still want to go through with the divorce?"

"I don't know, Phyllis. I just don't know".

She nodded, and got up to get some more coffee. She sat on the other couch, and got on her phone. They didn't speak again for the next couple of hours.

***Lunch time***

Dr. West finally arrived, and opened the door.

Jack rushed past her, without saying a word.

Phyllis stared at her, shook her head, and then walked out.

By the time she got to the parking lot, Jack was already in his car and on his way out of the parking lot.

******3 months later******

Phyllis spent most of the fall concentrating on getting her house ready. She monitored the building process as much as she could. She also got a job as a freelance journalist that she could do from home. For the most part, she didn't really see Jack out and about in town, and she didn't see Billy either. It was simply, for the best.

At the end of October, the divorce papers came. She signed on the bottom line and was sad the rest of the day.

Thanksgiving came, and she spent it with Summer. Christmas came, and she went to spend it with Daniel, Heather, and Lucy. She tried to not think about happier times with Jack, but those memories crept in sometimes. When they did, she smiled at them, and then pushed them out of her mind.

January came, and she determined to not screw up 2017 as she had screwed up 2016.

February came… she felt like she was finally finding her footing, and settling into life without Jack.

The last week of February, she received a phone call from the builder, that her home would be ready in 2 weeks.

She drove over during the day one day to walk through it and check it out, and she loved it. She couldn't wait for Summer to see it.

She had been working with an interior designer to decorate the house. She had picked bright, cozy colors for each room, and soft, comfy furniture.

Her kitchen had the latest appliances, and by the time move in day rolled around, it was all set up and delivered and ready for her to live in the house. ***Move in day***

Phyllis showed up at 8, and the moving van was bringing her boxes and bags in to the house.

Summer showed up around 10.

She pulled up in the circle drive, and got out of her car. Phyllis walked out to meet her.

"Hi, honey! Like the new house?"

"Mom, are you kidding me? You can't seriously think this is a good idea!".

"Summer, sweetheart, it's fine. Just come inside, you will see."

"Mom, living across the street from Jack-not a good idea".

Summer went in the house, with Phyllis right behind her.

"Honey, I have every right to live wherever I choose to, regardless of who lives across the street or next door or wherever."

"I know. I just thought you would want some space. I thought you had moved on".

"I will never fully leave Jack behind, honey. He is such a huge part of me. But this is my house, not his."

Meanwhile….Jack Abbott is driving home from an early morning meeting. He sees that his new neighbor is finally moving in, and decides to say hello. Just as he is about to pull into the driveway, he sees Phyllis through the window, and he notices Summer's car on the driveway.

"Phyllis is my neighbor?"…. He couldn't believe it.

He headed up the drive to his own house, and decided to welcome her to the neighborhood another day.

***Late spring***

It had now been 3 months since Phyllis had moved in to her home. She and Jack had still not had the conversation about the fact that they were exes, living across the street from each other.

Phyllis had been on a couple of dates, but just couldn't find that spark that she was looking for.

Jack had thrown himself into his work, and hadn't really dated at all. There was no point, really, seeing that nobody would ever compare to Red….

The beginning of May was a very busy time in Genoa City. Jabot had tons of new products coming out, as did Brash and Sassy. It seemed that there was a charity event happening every single night.

The second week of May, Phyllis noticed there was a charity ball at the end of the week. Seeing as how she was on her way to meet Jack when Sharon pushed her down the stairs and she went into a coma, Phyllis decides to skip it. One coma is enough, and she doesn't have Jack anymore...

Two days before the ball, she is home when the doorbell rings. She opens it to find a delivery man with a lovely bouquet of flowers. She accepted them, tipped him, and then locked the door.

She found the card. It said "Hope you save me a dance at the ball". It was unsigned.

Later that day, another delivery. This time it was a gift certificate to Fenmore's. She immediately calls Lauren, who tells her that she has no idea who purchased it, as it was paid for online, and the buyer asked to remain anonymous.

"I am happy to bring several gowns over for you to look at and try on, if you would like".

"Sounds good. I will provide the wine and appetizers. See you around 6?"

"See you then".

Phyllis researched the charity ball for this year, and found that it had a masquerade theme. She went to her closet and pulled out a few masquerade masks. One of them was a full face mask that was all shiny and glittery, and the others were all half face masks.

Lauren arrived right on time, with about 20 gowns for her to try on. Phyllis picked 4 to hold and would return the others after the ball.

She and Lauren settled in for some girl talk. "So how is it working out living across the street from Jack?"

"we haven't seen each other or conversed about it at all".

"At some point you are going to have to talk to him, Phyllis. You two are neighbors".

"I am ready for it, just waiting on him to come over."

"How are you, emotionally? With the divorce, I mean?"

"I am just here, being me. I didn't want the divorce, but he did, so I gave it to him."

"That was very big of you, Phyllis".

They chatted some more and then Lauren left. Phyllis went online and bought her ticket to the charity ball, and then headed to bed.

***Friday, the day of the ball***

Phyllis got ready at home, and selected the full face-mask to wear that night. She picked a wide strap, plunging v-neck gown, with a hint of shimmer and extra length to wear with it. She paired it with a black clutch and some black sparkly heels.

She decided to Uber her way to and from, since she didn't know if she would be drinking. She was out the door by 5:45, right on time.

She had her face mask on, and she was wearing all brand-new jewelry. The jewelry she usually wore had all been gifts from Jack.

The driver dropped her off and she made her entrance.

The banquet hall started filling up around 7, and she passed the time by trying to figure out who had sent her the flowers.

***Jack***

Jack was on his way to the Charity ball also. He was very puzzled by the recent events.

Someone had sent him a box of cigars with a note that said "Saving all of my dances for you". It was unsigned, and he was stumped. He had gone home to change before the ball, and found another delivery waiting for him at home. It was a box with a masquerade mask in it, and the card said "Till tonight".

He was wearing the mask, and he was curious about who the secret admirer was.

***At the ball***

Jack made his entrance, and went into the ball. He was shown to his table, where another box was waiting for him.

"Open me" was on the top.

He obliged. He found a full mask. So he went into the bathroom and put it on.

He returned to his seat, and enjoyed the music. He danced a few dances, but didn't feel the spark with anyone.

About halfway through the evening, the emcee announced a special event about to take place.

"Gentlemen, the masks that were on your table when you came in were painted with glow in the dark paint. Please put them on if you have not done so. Ladies, there is a jewelry table at the back of the room, and we have glow in the dark jewelry for each woman. Please put some on. The point of this is that in 5 minutes we are going to turn the lights off, at which time your jewelry and masks will glow in the dark. After that has happened, find your dance partner, and enjoy the dance, and at the end of this dance, remove your masks to reveal yourself to your partner. Thanks for coming out and have a nice night. This is the last masquerade dance of the evening- everything else from here on out will not require a mask".

Jack had his mask on, so he did some more people watching while he drank his club soda.

Phyllis got her jewelry on, and when they turned the lights off, she went to find a seat. She sat down at a table, without looking to see who was sitting with her.

A photographer came around and asked to take their pictures, and she went and stood behind the man at her table and took a picture.

The photographer then said, "How about a picture of you two dancing?"

They both nodded, and headed to the dance floor.

Jack instantly felt a connection with this person he was dancing with. It was the best dance of the night, and it had only been 30 seconds. She felt light in his arms, but also like she was meant to be there. And she was a very confident dancer, and knew how to move.

She was impressed by him too. He had very strong arms, and he knew how to lead. She couldn't wait for the song to end so they could take off their masks.

As the song came to an end, the emcee said "Ok, we are turning the lights on, and we will have a countdown to the mask reveal. 3, 2, 1…. take em' off!"

She turned away, and removed her mask. Jack took his off as well, and turned back to see who she was.

"You!" they both exclaimed at the same time.

The photographer took their picture, which startled them, and caused Phyllis to hurry off.

The emcee got back on the microphone. "Now, some of you might have gotten some deliveries this week, and we want to reveal to you who it was. We have given each of you a number, and if you will go to the sign in table, and give them your name, you will be given your number. We will reveal the couples in 5 minutes".

Jack headed to the sign in table, and was given the number 6. Phyllis was at the table too, at the other end. She was also given the number 6.

At the end of 5 minutes, the emcee explained that they were going to do this reveal on the red carpet. The men were told to go to ballroom A and line up. The women were told to go to ballroom B and line up, and they would both meet up on the red carpet.

***Red carpet***

Phyllis got in line, like she was supposed to do. From what she could tell, some of these couples were no brainers, like Lauren and Michael, and Nikki and Victor, or Sharon and Dylan. However, others were surprises. What nobody could figure out is who was behind all of this.

Suddenly, it was Phyllis' turn to walk the red carpet. She was led to the door, and the doors opened, as flash bulbs were going off. She walked out, and the curtain opened, and her suitor was…. Jack!

She smiled, and he smiled. She looked at him through a forced smile and said "Let's just make the best of it".

He nodded, and escorted her down the red carpet.

They got to the end, and they were handed a business card.

It said "Your pairing was done by GCBuzz".

She handed the card to him, and said "sue the pants off them, with my blessing".

She walked off the red carpet and headed down the block. He followed her.

"Phyllis, can we go somewhere and talk?"

"Sure".

He showed her to his car, and held the door for her as she got inside.

He got in the driver's seat and looked at her. "where would you like to go?"

"Anywhere is fine".

They drove to their street.

"Your place, or mine?"

"You knew?"

"I saw you about a month or two ago, through the window as I drove past. I was going to come welcome you to the neighborhood, but I decided to give you space instead".

"You didn't have to do that Jack. I would have talked to you, let you in my house. You know me better than that".

"I thought I did. I thought I knew you inside out, Phyllis. I never dreamed you would hurt me and destroy what we had by sleeping with my brother".

"That was an unintentional result. I also never dreamed that you would push me away like you did, and that you and I would lose our connection. Those things happened before I slept with Billy".

"For the record, I apologize for ambushing you with a dance tonight. I had no idea that was you under that mask. I did enjoy the dance though".

"I enjoyed it too, and no apologies are necessary. I don't feel that you ambushed me at all".

They sat silent for a few minutes, and then she looked at him. "You are more than welcome to come to my place for some coffee"

"I would like that".

***Phyllis' house***

He pulled up into her driveway, and parked. She unlocked the door and turned on the lights. She kicked her shoes off right at the bottom of the stairs, and they headed to the kitchen.

She made them a big pot of coffee, and then turned to Jack. "You hungry?"

"I could eat, but don't go to any trouble".

"I have pre-made things, appetizers from the club restaurant. I can also make you some eggs, or whatever you'd like."

"Just coffee for now".

She poured them both a big mug, and they went and sat on the couch.

"Nice place".

"Thanks. I picked out the plans myself".

She took a long drink of coffee, and then turned to him.

"Can I ask you something?

"Ask away".

"Do you miss us, at all? Like we used to be, I mean".

He took a long breath. "yeah, I do".

He looked at her. "Do you?"

"Every day".

She took another drink of her coffee.

"So what are we going to do about it?"

"I don't know Phyllis. Once bitten, twice shy, I suppose".

"I guess I was naïve. I always thought that you and I could get past this, work it out, and we wouldn't have had to divorce."

"In my mind, there was no other choice, Phyllis. I was so hurt, and I was so angry, with you and Billy. And Billy is my brother. I can't divorce him, but I can divorce you. I suppose in some way, I took out my anger with him on you".

"It was justified".

She went and got the pot to refill her mug, and brought it to him for a refill as well.

After she had taken it back to the kitchen, she went and sat back down on the couch again.

She grabbed the remote to the stereo, and turned it on.

"Nice music quality you have there".

"Thanks. I asked them for the best of the best"

"You certainly got that".

She jumped up and said "be right back".

She went and changed out of her gown into some yoga pants and a light sweatshirt. She came back to find him leaning forward, holding his lower back.

"Your back go out again?"

"Not quite. It's just tight. What was that massage move you did on me that night in the doctor's office?"

She climbed on the couch behind him, and began to massage him. She took her hand and made a fist and ran her knuckles up and down his back.

"you mean this move?"

"Yeah, yeah, that's the one. That feels wonderful".

She kept rubbing his back for a few more minutes, and then she leaned forward.

"Will you do me a favor?"

"What?"

"Will you pop my back, like you used to?"

She jumped up and held her hand out to him to help him up off her couch.

He hesitated, but he wrapped his arms around her and bent over slightly and popped her back. It felt so good, and she almost lost her balance when he set her back down.

He leaned forward to grab her, and she instinctively threw her arms around his neck, like she was hugging him.

She decided to go with the hug, and after a few seconds, she said "Thanks for the dance tonight, Jack. And for your company".

She released him and as she turned away, he could see tears in her eyes.

"Red…"

"I'm fine. I just miss you so much. You know if this was the past, we would have been in bed for hours now, and you would be telling me how much you loved me and that you would never let me go. I just don't understand how you could let me go".

He sat down on the couch next to her and wrapped his arms around her.

"Phyllis, don't get too upset. Remember your head injury".

"Oh Jack. It's not my head that's broken this time. It's my heart".

"I know. Mine is broken too".

"So how do we fix our broken hearts?"

"I don't know, Red. I just don't know. I was hoping that time was the answer, but it's not. I was hoping that dating others would help, but it didn't."

"Same for me".

He held her a little longer, and then she sat up and reached for her mug. She finished her coffee and then took her mug to the sink.

"Phyllis, I think in time, you and I can reconnect again. Maybe it's just too soon?"

"Well, in time, I might not want to reconnect. I have been thinking about giving this house to Summer and moving to live closer to my sister, getting a fresh start".

"Running away isn't going to help, Red."

"Well right now, I don't know what else to do".

She grabbed the remote, and turned the radio off, and the tv on. She flipped to the all night news station for GC.

"Spotted at the charity ball tonight: Phyllis Newman and Jack Abbott walking the red carpet together. Our cameras also caught them dancing with each other just before the mask reveal. We hope that even though they arrived at the dance separately, this means happier times ahead for one of our favorite couples in Genoa City, who we can't wait to see reunited".

She turned the tv off, and turned to put the remote on the table, and instead accidentally knocked his mug out of his hand, breaking it. He went to get a rag to clean up the coffee, and she leaned down to pick up the pieces of the mug.

As she turned to get up, he turned towards her and they kissed. Their first kiss in almost a year.

She broke the kiss, and looked away. "I'm sorry".

"I'm not". He grabbed her and pulled her towards him, kissing her long and passionately.

"Are you sure?"

He nodded. They continued kissing and then he stood up, helped her up, picked her up, and they headed upstairs.

Jack and Phyllis 2017 was about to begin.


End file.
